HomeMy WebLinkAboutDisMinutes_2008_12_121
Brookings Committee for People who have Disabilities
December 12, 2008
A meeting of the Brookings Committee for People who Have Disabilities was held at 2:00p.m.
on Friday, December 12, 2008 in the Brookings City Hall with the following members present:
Kurt Cogswell, Nancy Hartenhoff‐Crooks, Dave Bertelson, Lonnie Bayer, Lisa Sonnenburg,
Jessie Kuechenmeister, Dave Miller, Kim Wells and Alan Davis. Members not present: Dona
Kornbaum and Jeff Vostad.
Next meeting of the committee is scheduled for Friday, January 23, 2009 at 2:00 p.m.
The agenda was adopted as printed. The minutes were approved.
Kim Wells was welcomed to the Committee as the new student representative.
NEW BUSINESS:
Committee Publicity. This item was tabled until Dona Kornbaum could be present.
Barrier Awareness Project. This item was tabled until Dona Kornbaum could be present.
Kornbaum has volunteered to chair this project.
Project description: Brookings area third graders experience some of the limitations faced by
people who live with disabilities during Barrier Awareness Days. During that week high school
students from the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) group, led by
Joline Dunbar, bring to each of the elementary schools activities, which are designated to
sensitize children to the barriers that exist in everyday life for people who have disabilities. The
event is sponsored by the Brookings Committee for People who have Disabilities. The
Committee’s goal is to sensitize youngsters to the experience of people who live with physical,
mental, or emotional differences. The hope is to help children notice that it is the job of
everyone to be respectful and helpful to people who live with differences, and that all citizens
need to be alert to making life activities accessible to everyone. This is an annual event held in
March.
Annual Report to City Council. The annual report to the Brookings City Council is due on
February 15, 2009. Cogswell volunteered to draft the report and will email to members for
review and comment prior to the January meeting with the intention of adoption at that
meeting.
PROJECT & ISSUE UPDATES:
Hospitality Ratings Project. Cogswell reported that the subcommittee had obtained the one
remaining motel survey and can now complete the lodging report.
Project Description: The Hospitality Ratings Subcommittee conducted a survey of the Brookings
hotels and motels to review and rate levels of accessibility. The goal is to survey other hospitality‐
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type establishments (dining, recreation, etc.) and develop a report that will provide a complete
picture of access to these organizations. The results will be publicized with the Chamber and other
venues. Target audiences are current residents, visitors and new people moving into town.
Post Office Accessibility. At the November meeting the Committee asked Thornes to contact
the representatives of Sioux Falls Paralyzed Veterans of America office for assistance in
determining if there is anyone else in the post office hierarchy to contact or the appropriate
decision‐makers at the Access Board to contact. Representatives at DBTAC responded back
that the appropriate specialist to contact at the Access Board who works with Post Office issues
is Peg Blechman. Thornes noted that she has not contacted the Access Board yet due to the
fact that an architect from Sioux Falls has been hired to make changes to the Brookings Post
Office lobby and she is hoping that might be a better alternative for positive changes.
Issue background: The key accessibility issues at the Brookings Post Office are: the front door
swings the wrong way and it sticks, an automatic opener would be very helpful, and the interior
service counters are all too high and one should be lowered.
Accessible Parking Requirements Brochure. The Committee took the following action at the
November meeting: ACTION: A motion was made by Bertelson, seconded by Vostad, to authorize spending
$250.00 for a graphic designer to develop a print‐ready accessible parking brochure. Funding is subject to review of
available funds in 2008. If sufficient funds are not available in this budget cycle, the work will be done in 2009
(1/1/09). All present voted yes; motion carried. Thornes reported that she was able to secure funds to
develop the brochure in 2008. Miller is working with the designer on the brochure layout.
Wells volunteered to take pictures for the cover. Thornes noted that the expenditure must
occur by 12/31/08.
REPORTS:
Brookings Transportation Board. Hartenhoff‐Crooks reported that the Board presented its
completed report to the City Council on December 9th and will update the report in two years.
She noted that the report was a good start in helping focus on critical transportation issues in
our community. The group will continue to meet regularly. A key issue will be mass transit
and its importance with the closing of campus for vehicles. She noted that the Board has had a
lot of discussion regarding bike travel. Use of helmets and other safety measures should be
emphasized. She commented that many of the students she assists on campus have had
traumatic brain injuries.
City ADA Coordinator’s Report.
Elections / Polling Site Accessibility – Bertelson commented that it will be important to
continue the good work of the election review subcommittee and hopefully the
problems noted will corrected in the near future. Thornes agreed and reported that the
County Election Superintendent has received funding to help with polling site
accessibility. The first step will be to conduct a county‐wide polling site review and
prioritize the sites to determine project funding allotments. The next regular city
election will be April 14th.
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Larson Ice Center – Thornes has received updated plans from the architect that the
subcommittee needs to review.
SDSU Wellness Center – The compliance review tour will not be held until SDSU fixes the
accessibility problems in the showers. SDSU officials said this will occur during the
holiday break. Thornes will notify the committee when this is completed.
Parking Ticket Publicity – The City Council approved the fine increase from $25 to $100 for
violating accessible parking spaces. The increase goes into effect on 1/1/09. She noted
that the Committee had offered to assist the Police Department in the publicity.
Downtown: Thornes reported receiving the following complaint regarding downtown
parking from Larry Pederson via email: “I have a question concerning Main Ave in
Brookings. I was down town a couple of weeks ago on Sunday to have dinner at one of the
downtown restaurants. It has stopped snowing for at least 24 hrs. The snow plow had been past
my home at least once. But when I got down town to park and let my Mother-In-Law out (she
walks with a walker). We were going to go to Georges to eat and there was no close by Handi
capped parking slots. So I had to let her out of the car in the street and she and her walker and
her daughter had to carefully maneuver her to the sidewalk. It was extremely difficult as there was
about 3 - 4 inches of snow that she had to wade thru. Who is supposedly responsible for setting
up the Handi Capped Parking slots? Because that area is NOT in Compliance with the ADA.
Who is responsible for keeping the streets clear in the downtown area? DBI? City of Brookings?”
Thornes reported that Jackie Lanning, Thad Dreitz, Allyn Frerichs, Carrie Bretsch, and
Marty Hendricks met earlier that day prior to the Committee meeting regarding
placement of signs. They reported back to her that the contractor will be installing the
disabled markings once the sidewalks are drilled sometime next week. Although there
are some temporary disabled signs in the downtown area, the Street Department will
place additional temporary disabled signs this afternoon. These will be in place until the
contractor installs the permanent signs. In regard to the gutter line snow depth, snow
removal operations were conducted in the down town area on November 23 in order to
allow the downtown merchants sufficient time to clean their sidewalks before we picked
up the streets.
Bayer expressed concern regarding accessible spaces and access aisles, noting there was
one space that didn’t have a connecting aisle to the sidewalk. Thornes said the original
streetscape access committee should conduct a compliance review in early January after
the signs are installed to make sure that all the spaces, aisles and signs were done and
done correctly.
There was further discussion regarding the condition of the sidewalks due to the ice
build‐up. Because the sidewalks were poured late in the season, business owners can
not use ice melt and the sand provided by the city isn’t effective. Members noted that
there is a liquid ice removal product that would work on new concrete and would
remove the ice. The Committee asked that the City look into this product for immediate
use.
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Curb Ramp Survey. Thornes reported that the City Engineering Department had
completed a survey of Brookings accessible ramps that includes every intersection,
direct of ramp, and compliance status. A map will be created with this information in a
map format. The curb ramp subcommittee of Thornes, Hartenhoff‐Crooks and Vostad
will need to meet in January to make recommendations on priority areas.
Government Access Channel ‐ “Getting It Right” DVD. Thornes reported that the
etiquette tips from the “Getting It Right” DVD are running on the City’s government
access channel. The City’s IT staff was able to separate out each chapter from the DVD.
Nominating Committee Report. The nominating committee of Cogswell, Hartenhoff‐Crooks
and Davis submitted the following slate of officers for 2009: Dave Miller as Chair and Jessie
Kuechenmeister as Vice Chair.
Election of Officers. A motion was made by Cogswell, seconded by Bayer, to accept the slate
of officers as presented. No other nominations were submitted. All present voted yes; motion
carried to elect Miller as Chair and Kuechenmeister as Vice Chair.
Hartenhoff‐Crooks left at 2:45 pm
Announcements /Correspondence
o Fair Housing – 7 Technical Requirements & Fact Sheet
o DBTAC ADA In Focus (Fall 08)
Calendar:
o January 28th ADA Leadership Network Conference Call @ 2 pm
o June 8‐10 ADA Symposium, Kansas City
January Agenda Items
Lonnie Bayer asked if there were any updates on the SDSU Frost Arena accessibility concerns.
Cogswell said there were not and after additional discussion agreed for the subcommittee to
revisit the site and prepare a written summary of accessibility issues.
Annual Goal Setting Discussion
Approval of Annual Report
Streetscape Compliance Review Report
Barrier Awareness
Frost Arena Update
Meeting adjourned at 3:00 p.m.
Submitted by Shari Thornes